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Clogged drain? Get Thrift! |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate Investing, todd long on 09 27th, 2009 |
If you ever have drain stoppage don’t bother getting Drano or any of those other over the counter light weights. Get Thrift! This stuff really works. I have only been able to find it at a plumbing supply store. It isn’t at your weekend hardware store, Lowe’s, or Home Depot.
This stuff creates some sort of chemical reaction when followed by hot water that will unclog any drain. Well, it has unclogged many, many drains for me. I will caution you. Once you pour about a 1/2 a cup of this stuff in the drain and start to follow it with hot water, STEP BACK! If you don’t your eyes will start to burn and you won’t be able to breath. Really. Also don’t use it on a toilet! The chemical reaction could make the toilet explode. Really. Other than that, this stuff really works. Really. 
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Foreclosure Prevention and Free money to buy a home! |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News, todd long, Training on 09 25th, 2009 |
I attended a great presentation a few weeks ago by Louise from Prosperity Unlimited. Here is her presentation. She runs a non profit group that helps people in the surrounding counties around Charlotte such as Cabarrus and Iredell counties. If you or someone you know may be facing foreclosure I encourage you to reach out to her group. She also gave us some great sources of free money to help buy real estate!
Contact them at (704) 933-7405
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Extend and Expand the Homebuyer Tax Credit |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News, todd long, Coldwell Banker United Realtors, Video on 09 25th, 2009 |
I have created this video for you. Check it out.
You may have noticed I didn’t say extend the First Time Homebuyer tax credit. I really feel this needs to be expanded to anyone who wants to buy a primary residence. We have seen good, steady gains in selling the inventory in the first time home buyer sector through the $8000 credit this year. It hasn’t been a run on funds like the cash for clunkers which is probably good. The benefit has been there but people still have to have good credit and want to make a move to take advantage.
I have heard that extending this credit for 1 year and expanding it to all homebuyers who want to buy a primary residence would cost us about 1% of the 700 billion that has been set aside to help get out of this recession. This would be an appropriate move to solidify the housing market in a time of tough economics. I’ve been telling my agent for months if not a year now that it all goes back to jobs but when a house is sold that creates jobs as well. Bank personnel, plumbers, contractors, electricians, home inspectors, Realtors, movers, and on and on have a job because a house is sold.
If you are a Realtor please help NAR push for an extension of the tax credit by going to http://bit.ly/extendcredit. You will login with your NAR number and send a note to your local government representative.
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Great Closing Gift Idea |
| Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Coldwell Banker United Realtors, Lake Norman Area Events, Fun Stuff on 09 19th, 2009 |
I have order several Attractions Guides for years. When I was an active Real Estate agent I gave them out as closing gifts. Now that I am a non competing BIC I now give them out to friends, family and new agents that I hire. In placing my order for the 2010 edition I found I have a few extra. So, the first two people that respond with a comment below get one, for free of course! Thanks for reading my blog.
You will find coupons for higher end dining to fast food. Most of these are buy one get one free coupons. This is a great way to try new restaurants you may not otherwise patron. You will also find discounts for local and chain establishments such as Home Depot (coupons can be used at Lowes), Dicks, Shoe Carnival, and Lazy 5 Ranch just to name a few. There are lots of coupons to use around the Lake Norman Area and Charlotte Metro.
If you would like to order a few of the new 2009 guides yourself call Torrie Zink at (704) 682-2164 or email her at lkncouponbook @ aol.com. You can get them from her for $15 a piece and she will customize the front as you see in the example here for you. Tell her Todd Long at Century 21 Hecht Realty had you call.
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New NC law to help slow the foreclosure process for those trying to work thing out with the bank. Who will promote it? |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News on 09 15th, 2009 |
Governor Perdue signed this law into action last week. Basically a home owner has to be given sufficient time to try to work out payments with a lender before the foreclosure process can start. Here’s the story.
There is also a trial loan modification program in the Obama plan that is available to people to stop the foreclosure process but as of yet only 12% of eligible barrower have started the process. That should be much higher and I fear the problem is promotion. The government does a decent job of setting up and funding programs but they are bad at promoting them. For example: Cash for Clunkers; huge success! Do you think it was the governments promotion of this made it a huge success. NO It was the advertising experts i.e. car salesmen. Who will promote loan modification? I doubt it will be the lenders. They really don’t seem to want to help people through that process. Probably because it doesn’t fit into their current model of how they do business. It seems to me a loan modification would be better than an REO for banks but who am I.
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Realtors: Iredell County Special Presentation-Foreclosure Prevention Workshop |
| Posted by Todd Long in Training on 09 14th, 2009 |
Registration and breakfast: 9:30 a.m.
Program: 10 a.m.-noon
Where: Statesville Civic Center
300 S. Center St.
Statesville, NC 28677
Admission: FREE for members; $15 for nonmembers
This workshop, which is part of the Workforce Housing Certificate Program, educates participants about foreclosure issues in the area and the role of Realtors® in foreclosure prevention. Speakers will provide information on how to prevent foreclosures among clients and the resources for foreclosure-prevention services in the region.
Registration and breakfast begin at 9:30 a.m., and the program begins at 10 a.m.
If you are currently enrolled in the Workforce Housing Certificate Program, this workshop is one of the graduation requirements.
If you have questions or wish to enroll in the program, please contact Jessica Misenheimer at jessica.misenheimer@carolinahome.com or 704-940-3138.
NOTE: You do not have to be enrolled in the Workforce Housing Certificate Program to register for this workshop. This event is open to all members of CRRA/CMLS.
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Do You Have Self Employed Sellers Facing Foreclosure? |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News, Coldwell Banker United Realtors on 09 13th, 2009 |
Margaret Cremen, an agent in my office, recently had a self employed seller who was facing foreclosure. She came across the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency which was able to help this seller avoid foreclosure. Details can be found at http://www.ncforeclosurehelp.org or by calling 888-384-3811.
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Agents Beware, Cary Woman abducted by sex offender |
| Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Coldwell Banker United Realtors on 09 11th, 2009 |
Agents beware of seemingly harmless individuals. This Cary agent probably thought everything was normal. Often if you meet someone and the hairs stand up on the back of your neck or you get a chill those natural insticts could be correct. Our office has safety policies in place to protect our agents in the field. Here are some suggestions for you. Make it a rule to never meet a client for the first time at a home for sale, especially a vacant home. Same goes for a vacant listing appointment. Meet them at the office to start the first appointment. If you feel uncomfortable with the appointment for any reason, take someone with you. They can stay in the car or at the front door. Never park in the driveway where you can be blocked in. Let your client(s) lead through the house, you follow. Let them explore the basement themselves. These are just a few basic rules but the big one is always error on the side of caution.
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Closing Gift Idea-Lake Norman Reflections Book |
| Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Fun Stuff on 09 9th, 2009 |
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Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association Speaker Series |
| Posted by Todd Long in Uncategorized on 08 31st, 2009 |
This Wednesday, the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association is hosting a Speaker Series event in your area with association staff and local police officials. The event will address two major areas of concern for you and your agents. At this time, enrollment is lower than expected for an event of such importance. Please help us spread the word regarding this opportunity. Also, please reply directly to this e-mail if agents in your office are planning to attend and have not yet signed up.
Committee Volunteer Fair - Are you interested in becoming more involved with the association, Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS) or the Housing Opportunity Foundation? We welcome and encourage all members to get involved and help make a difference in your association and industry. Staff will be available for questions.
Safety and local crime information from your area’s police department officials - Get informed about keeping you and your clients safe. Learn tips that could save your life.
Mooresville
Location: Charles Mack Citizen Center
215 N. Main Street
Staff Representatives for 19 Committees 2:30 p.m. Speakers from the Mooresville Police Department
Captain Phil Blocker
Brenda Welch
Benefits Coordinator
Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association
704.940.3123
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Facing Foreclosure in the greater Charlotte area (Mooresville, NC)? |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News on 08 24th, 2009 |
Margaret, an agent in my office, recently had a self employed seller who was facing foreclosure. She came across the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency which was able to help this seller avoid foreclosure. I have attached there flyer for you incase you have a similar situation. Details can be found at http://www.ncforeclosurehelp.org or by calling 888-384-3811.
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Help Needed: Richard with brain cancer, moving off the street |
| Posted by Todd Long in Uncategorized, Fun Stuff on 08 18th, 2009 |
Margaret in my office has recently started helping out at the Mooresville Soup Kitchen. There is a young man, Richard, that has brain cancer and has been living on the streets. The owner/runner of the soup kitchen has found him a place to live and has people running him to his treatments, but he has nothing, absolutely nothing. No bed, chairs, lamps, dishes, silverware, towels, soap, etc. If there is anything you have you plan on giving to Good Will or throwing away that may be of value to someone with nothing please give Margaret a call at 704-662-2255.
MOORESVILLE SOUP KITCHEN SUPPORT FOR RICHARD
ITEMS NEEDED Set of dishes and some mugs, bowls, glasses
Set of dishes and some mugs, bowls, glasses Silverware
Bed linens not sure of the size
Maybe a bed should be first
Bath towels, wash cloths
Dish towels
Chairs
Sofa
Bookselves
TV
End Tables
Snacks
Lamps
Clothes – probably a medium
Sneakers (don’t know size)
Books/magazines (nothing girlie)
Dish soap
Bath soap
Tooth paste and brush
Deordorant
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Uptrend Continues in Pending Home Sales |
| Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News on 08 17th, 2009 |
| Uptrend Continues in Pending Home Sales |
| Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6 percent to 94.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May, and is 6.7 percent above June 2008 when it was 88.7. The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was in July 2003. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a combination of positive market factors is fueling the gains. “Historically low mortgage interest rates, affordable home prices and large selection are encouraging buyers who’ve been on the sidelines. Activity has been consistently much stronger for lower priced homes,” he said. “Because it may take as long as two months to close on a home after signing a contract, first-time buyers must act fairly soon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit because they must close on the sale by November 30.” Read the release > |
Article by: National Association of Realtors
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Men vs. Women in the home buying process |
| Posted by Todd Long in Coldwell Banker United Realtors on 08 17th, 2009 |
COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE SURVEYS 1,000 MEN AND WOMEN TO DISCOVER GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE HOME-BUYING PROCESS
Survey Finds that While Couples Make Real Estate Buying Decisions Together, Women Make Up Their Minds Significantly Faster than Men
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (August 17, 2009) – It often seems as though men and women are from different planets, but every day millions of couples navigate through day-to-day and even life-altering decisions. Because a home is the biggest purchase most people will make in their lifetime, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC surveyed 1,000 individuals to discover how much men and women differ in the home-buying process.
The real estate company engaged a third-party research firm, International Communications Research (ICR), to delve into the innerpsyche of men and women, asking questions such as “How long did it take for you to know that the last home you purchased was right for you?” and “If you found the home of your dreams but had concerns about its security, would you still be interested?” Coldwell Banker Real Estate also surveyed couples on additional topics, such as “Who wears the pants in the relationship?” when it comes to making major financial decisions.
“The results were surprising,” said Diann Patton, the Coldwell Banker consumer real estate expert. “Not only did we uncover some of the inherent differences between men and women, but we also pinpointed a number of ways that the two genders are actually the same. For example, both men and women are increasingly concerned with having a space to work in their homes – something we would not have seen 40 years ago.” She continued, “We also found that feeling insecure about a home’s safety is a deal-breaker for most people, regardless of gender.”
Patton noted this topic is particularly timely given that many first-time homebuyers are hoping to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit before it expires on December 1, 2009.
Below are some key highlights from the Coldwell Banker Real Estate study:
Women may be inclined to make up their mind more quickly than men …
- When asked how long it took before they knew their home was “right” for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their mind the day they walked into the house, vs. 62 percent of men. Conversely, significantly more men needed two or more visits: (32 percent of men vs. 23 percent of women).
Women would rather live closer to their extended family than to their job …
- 55 percent of women find it more important to be closer to their extended family (those that do not live in their household) than to their job, compared to only 37 percent of men.
A home’s security is a deal-breaker for both men and women …
- 64 percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested. More than half of men agreed (51 percent).
Couples say that no one “wears the pants in the relationship” in terms of major financial decisions …
- When asked who wears the pants in the relationship (when it comes to major financial decisions, such as purchasing a home), almost 70 percent of respondents living with their significant other said it’s actually mutual.
- However, 23 percent think that they, themselves, wear the pants in the relationship, not their partner. More men than women said this (26 percent vs. 20 percent, respectively).
Men and women agree on how they would use a spare room, for the most part …
When the respondents were asked how they would use an extra 12 x 12 room if it could be anything they wanted, men and women agreed on the top three most popular, and very practical, responses:
- Bedroom: 25 percent
- Office/Study: 15 percent
- Family Room / Den: 11 percent
However, men really do want a “Man Cave”…
- Interestingly, out of the 8 percent who indicated they would turn that spare room into an entertainment center, it was a preponderance of men leading the charge. In fact, four times as many men as women said they would use the extra space for recreation / entertainment.
In addition to providing background on the survey results, Patton is able to offer tips for couples who are currently going through the process of buying a home. “These results further validate how critical it is for couples to recognize each other’s differences and work together, from deciding a neighborhood to how to use a spare room,” she said. “Online tools and the expertise of a real estate professional can be particularly helpful for couples, especially if they work together step-by-step along the way.”
Methodology: Coldwell Banker Real Estate engaged ICR to conduct an omnibus survey via telephone in May 2009, among more than 1,000 respondents.
About Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC
Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider. In 2008, Franchise Times magazine’s prestigious Top 200 issue ranked the Coldwell Banker system No. 1 in real estate for the ninth straight year and 12th among franchisors in all industries. The Coldwell Banker System has approximately 3,200 residential real estate offices and approximately 100,000 sales associates in 47 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in the industry in residential and commercial real estate, and in niche markets such as resort, new home and luxury property through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® division. It is a pioneer in consumer services with its Coldwell Banker Concierge® Service Program and award-winning Web site, www.coldwellbanker.com. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated.
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Coldwell Banker United is a primary sponsor of the American Cancer Society. Support ACS and enjoy a BBQ lunch Sept 9th! |
| Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Fun Stuff on 08 14th, 2009 |
The lunch plates will be delivered to our Cornelius Office September 9th 12pm-2pm. You can eat there, or I can bring yours to our Mooresville office for you to take them home for dinner. Just fill out this form and we will work out the details. Donations for this event must be in by August 25th.
